Soap dispenser



Jan. 30, 1934. C, M GRAFTON 1,945,351

SOAR DISPENSER Filed Feb. 12, 1932 I4 f2 26 /O ,4

BY /r Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES SOAP DISPENSER Corydon M.Grafton, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Foster D. Snell, Inc., Brooklyn,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 12, 1932. SerialNo. 592,545

'l Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a soap and water mixer andmore particularly relates to a dispenser from which one or moreconcentrations of soap solution may be drawn olf at the same time.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a soap dispenser inwhich the soap is spaced from a part of the container to form mixingchambers into which water is introduced for the purpose of creating asoapy solution which may be drawn off as desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple chamber soapcontainer into which water is conveyed in diierent proportions to thedifferent compartments and for different periods of contact with thesoap such that different concentrations of soapy solution may be formedin the respective compartments.

Another object of this invention is to provide a soap dispenser whichwill furnish two different qualities of soap solution from a mass ofpaste or solid soap enclosed in a container such as a keg, barrel ordrum, such different soap solutions being withdrawn from the same end ofthe container and so that one solution of one concentration may be mixedwith the other solution of another concentration to give the desiredstrength.

Another object of the invention is to provide a barrel of soap with thesoap spaced from the ends and with a water tight inclined conduitsupported by and extending through the soap so that Water sprayedagainst one end of the soap mass will form a relatively lowconcentration of soap and other water from the spray will pass throughthe soap to act on the other end of the mass and will form a moreconcentrated solution.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from thefollowing description thereof taken in connection with the attacheddrawing which illustrates a preferred form of embodiment of my device,such drawing being a central vertical section taken through a barrel andshowing the interior connections partly in section.

Soap dispensers of the type illustrated are frequently used in garagesand in other places where different concentrations of soap may bedesired. In such constructions the container is usually a barrel, drumor keg which may have a capacity of soap varying from fty to onethousand pounds or more or less. Water is introduced into suchcontainers to make the solution, but in the previous constructions ithas been substantially impossible to continuously regulate theconcentration as it would vary with the rate the soap was used. It wasalso substantially impractical to have more than one concentrationavailable at the same time.

In the drawing which is merely illustrative of one form of device, inwhich these objections are overcome, the barrel l0 is shown filled withsoap 12 which may be in a thick paste or solid form as desired. The soap12 is preferably held in position by reticulated screens 14 slopinglymounted with reference to the axis lof the barrel, which form separatechambers spaced from the walls of the barrel and yet expose the soap asnecessary. When the barrel is rst put into use the bottom 16 of thebarrel and the soap supported by the lower reticulated screen 14 forms asoap chamber A, and the head of the barrel 18 and the soap retained byreticulated screen 14 forms a second soap chamber B. It is to beunderstood, however, that it is not essential that the chambers beformed by this means and that as the soap is dissolved the chambers ineach end become larger and extend beyond the screens 14.

The head ofthe barrel 18 is provided with a water connection 20 and theinterior of the barrel preferably has a spray or similar waterdispersing device 22. The construction is such that when the water isadmitted into the chamber B it will impinge upon the inclined wall ofsoap and will wash away and dissolve a certain portion of the soap. Thesoap solution in the chamber B then flows immediately down the surfaceof the reticulated screen and if withdrawn promptly its concentrationmay vary from 0.2% to 2% of soap. This solution may be withdrawn throughthe spigot or other valve 24. The relative location of the spigot 24 isnot a feature of this invention but it will be placed as near the lowerlevel of the soap solution as possible for proper drainage.

The soap preferably has a water tight tube 26 suitably inclined throughit and projecting at each end through the reticulated screen and in theconstruction illustrated the upper end of the tube 26 is placed adjacentthe spray at the top of the chamber B so that part of the spray of waterfrom the spray head 22 will run down the pipe 26 and into the chamber A.The diameter of this tube may be ofsuitable size such as one-half inchto 2 inches as desired and it is preferably inclined at such an anglethat the water will flow into the chamber A by gravity.

The concentration ofthe soap solution obtained at A is dependent uponthe time that the Water or solution is allowed to stand in contact withthe soap in the dispenser and may vary from 0% to 40%. In the use of thedispenser, however, it is intended that the soap solution shall be drawnfrom the chamber A only at spaced intervals and after the solution hasstood long enough to become fairly concentrated.

A second conduit 28 may also be placed through the soap to be connectedwith the spigot or valve 3,0 for withdrawing the soap solution sov 01Tat the same end of the barrel. It is obvious, however, that if desired,the spigot 30 may be driven into the barrel at the bottom end in directcontact with the body of soap solution in the chamber A or in any otherconnection may be made to Withdraw the soap solution.

The pipes 26 and 28 carry the water through the soap without directcontact so that large holes are not made in the soap through 'the centerof the mass before the end of the soap is worn away. With suchconstruction the amount of solution may be more carefully regulated andthere Will be a more uniform wearing away of the soap. It is also to benoted that although a relatively low concentrate of soap is produced atone end and a relatively high concentrate of soap is produced at theother end, it is possible to combine the mixtures and obtain anyintermediate quality of soap concentration as desired. n

The screen 14 which retains the soap should be suiiiciently ne toprevent passage of solid soap therethrough which would clog the outlet.The spray and -discharge spigots are preferably placed at the same endof the container to permit easy operation of the device. A suitablestand may be provided to hold the barrel in horizontal position.

Although the device has been particularly described in operation withsoap, it is to be understood that any other soluble mass may be suitablyplaced in such a container and it will similarly afford differentconcentrations of solution simultaneously which concentrations aresubject to control for uniform quality.

While I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of this invention I amaware that other modications may be made therein and I therefore desirea broad interpretation of my invention within the scope and spiritthereof and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A soap and water mixer comprising a container, a mass of soap thereinsubstantially filling the central portion of the container, the soap andthe ends of the container forming separate compartments at each end,means to introduce water into one compartment, a transverse conduitthrough the soap extending from one compartment to the other and meansto introduce water from one compartment to the other compartment, saidwater forming a soap solution of one concentration in one compartmentand a second soap solution of a different concentration in the othercompartment, and means to withdraw said solutions.

2. In a soap dispenser of the class described the combination of acontainer, a mass of soap carried by said container and substantiallyfilling the center portion of said container, a reticulated screenspacing said mass of soap from each end of said container, the mass ofsoap and-ends of the container forming separate soap solutioncompartments, means to introduce water simultaneously into each of saidcompartments, and means towithdraw soap solutions from each compartmentat same end of the container.

3. In a soap dispenser of the type described a container, a body of soapsubstantially filling the i central portion of said container, perviousmeans ,to space the soap from eachend of the container, means tointroduce water into the space at one end of the container, means toWithdraw a soap solution from said space, means to convey a part of saidwater to the space at the other end of the containerand means toWithdraw a soap solution from said second space.

4. In a soap dispenser of the type described a container, a body of soapsubstantially filling the central portion of said container, perviousmeans tospace the soap from each end of the container, means tointroduce water into the space at one end of the container, means towithdraw a soap solution from said space, means toconvey a part of saidwater to the space at the other. end of the container and means toWithdraw a soap solution from said second space, both said withdrawalmeans being located at the same end of the container.

5. A soap container of the class described containing a mass of soapsubstantially filling the center portion thereof and forming chamberswith the end walls respectively ofthe container, means to introducewater into one of said chambers, a transverse conduit through sadsoapextending from one chamber to the other, said conduit being inclined topermit water to .pass through said conduit by gravity, said waterforming a soap solution in one compartment of said container, the waterentering the first compartment and retained theren forming a soapsolution of a different concentration, and means to separately removethe different concentrations of soap from said container.

6. A soap dispenser of the type described comprising a container, a massof soap substantially iilling the container, said soap forming aplurality of compartments with the respective ends of the container, aconduit extending from one compartment to the other, means to introducewater into one of said compartments and part into said conduit, thewater entering said conduit forming a relatively concentrated solutionof soap at one end of the container, means to remove said soap solutionat the same end of the container that the water is inserted, part -ofthe Water retained in the rst compartment forming a second soap solutionof lesser concentration than the rst mentioned solution, and means toseparately withdraw said second concentration of soap at the same end ofthe container.

7. A soap and water mixer comprising a container, a mass of soap in saidcontainer, a conduit through said soap, the soap and one end of thecontainer forming a chamber. said conduit opening into the chamber, awater inlet into said chamber, said water inlet being positionedadjacent said conduit opening whereby part of the water entering saidchamber will pass through said conduit, a second chamber formed by thesoap and the other end of the container into which the conduit empties,the water in said first chamber forming a relatively dilute solution ofsoap, the water in the other chamber forming a relatively concentratedsolution of soap, a second conduit through said soap, and means toremove said concentrated solution through the second conduit at the sameend of the container that the water is inserted.

CORYDON M. GRAFTON.

